A few cogs short of a hand-basket.

You can actually ignore most of that title, just take with you the keywords "short" and "hand" and you have today's topic: Shorthand. It's not topical, it's not controversial (well...) or even politically incorrect, its just difficult, and it consumes most of my time. So i thought I'd take a break from it and talk to you about this wonderful skill.

Shorthand is something Journalists use to take down notes from interviews and the like, quickly and efficiently, to be transcribed back into longhand at a later date. (It does actually work). Secretaries and office people also use versions of shorthand, like 'Pitman' and 'Gregg', however UK Journalists tend to use a form called Teeline', which is more suited,but not the best known version of the art. It is based on the standard alphabet, and things such as vowels and silent letters are omitted for quick read and write-a-bility. So i word like reach in shorthand, will have the shorthand letters rch in it, to form the word. Context is a key thing with this.

When you look at it, you tend to think "it's like learning another language"...well it is, and it's just as annoying as learning another language, mainly because there is always, always, an exception to the effing rule. Last time i learned a language, it nearly ground me into the dirt, and i had to give it up. This time i have no such luxury.

On the plus side, it's kinda cool. You can write down secret messages to your friends, or even just doodle. The other day i wrote my friends birthday message in shorthand....and then scribbled around it with translation notes for her. She liked it though.

I best get back to it now. Once you've got the theory nailed down, its not so bad. As a present, i leave you this:

Brownie points to whoever works it out. (ask nicely and i may provide a hint)